When I decided to change my diet to a plant-based focus, tofu was one of those new-to-me foods I came to love. It’s a wonderful plant-based protein source that provides all nine essential amino acids needed from the diet, which is rare to find from plant sources. So I began choosing it at restaurants and loved the way it was prepared there. However, it took a while before I learned how to make it taste great at home. When I started cooking tofu at home, it was often spongey and bland. I couldn’t figure out how restaurants made it so…crispy, meaty and flavorful.

Thankfully, after years of cooking and eating tofu at home, I can now say I’ve perfected my method for easy and crispy tofu. I want to share this same method with you all today because it has been a life changer for making quick and delicious plant-based meals at home.

The first step is to select the right tofu. Always, always choose extra firm and organic. You will most likely find tofu in the produce section of large-scale grocery stores. The next step is to take the tofu out of its package and drain the excess liquid. Then, wrap a thick kitchen towel around the tofu, set it on a plate, and put a heavy object on top of the wrapped tofu. My favorite heavy objects are cast iron skillets or stoneware.

Allow the tofu 10 minutes to drain. My favorite flavoring to add is soy sauce, sesame oil and a little sriracha hot sauce. Once it’s cut into 1-inch cubes, it’s ready to bake for 25 minutes at 400 Fahrenheit (F). Another thing I want to mention is after you take the tofu out of the oven, allow it to cool for a few minutes before adding it to your meal. This is a really important step because it gives the tofu time to crisp up and take on that meaty texture.

You can add this tofu to stir-fries, curries, soups, bowls, salads, or eat it by itself because it’s that amazing!